Carbureter or vaporizer for explosive-engines.



E. F. ABVERNETHY.

CARBURETER 0R VAPORIZER FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

APPLICATION mm APR. 9. 1 904.

1,137,728. Patented May 4, 1915.

on the mixture valve, whereby the carbu rcter under varying speeds or loads of the engine will supply a combustible mixture or vapor of uniform grade or quality to the engine cylinder.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the course of the subioincd description. and the actual scope thereof will be defined by the annexed claims.

The figure of the drawings is a vertical section of an automatic carbureter or vaporizer for internal-combustion engines constructed in accordance with my invention.

The construction shown embodies a casing, 5, which is divided by a partition or valve seat 5, into a suction chamber, 7, and a cartuireting chamber, 8, said casing having; an air inlet 9 to the carhureting chamber, hi. and a suction connection, 10, in communication with the chamber, 7.

A mixture valve or suction operated element, 11, is provided on its'under side with a. washer, 12, of leather '0! the like, and it normally occupies the seat afforded by the partition, 6, to cut oil' communication between the chambers, 7, 8. Said valve has 3. depending stem consisting of a hollow porlion. 13, and a solid portion, 14, and with the stem is associated a batlie or spreader, 15, the stem and the balile being movable or slidable with the mixture valve, 11. The baille is of larger diameter than the stem; it is arranged at or near the line between the hollow and solid portions of the stem, and it may be made in one piece with the stem or it may be attached thereto. may be solid or imperforate, or it may be perforated for the passage of air and fuel, as shown.

The lower part of the casin 5, has a hollow nipple. 16, which is threaded internally, and into it is screwed an externally-threaded guide and adjusting sleeve, 17, the latter being in axial alinementwith the valve and slidably receiving the lower solid member, 14, of the valve stem. This sleeve is provided at its lower exposed end with a head, 18, which is always accessible for the purpose of adjusting the sleeve by hand, and on the sleeve is screwed a check nut, 19, which binds against the casing, 5, and locks the sleeve against movement. The solid member, ll, of the mixture valve stem protrudes below the headed end of the adjusting sleeve, 17, and on the lower extremity of the stem is a -foot, 20, on which is seated a coiled spring, 21, the latter loosely encircling the stem "and acting against the sleeve 17 so as to place tension on the stem and the mixture valve. It is evident that the sleeve may be screwed into the casing t relax the tension of the spring and to pl'a'ce very light tension on the mixture 'valve, but by adjust- Said spreader ing the sleeve in a downward direction, it is adapted to compress the spring and increase the tension on the valve, as may be desired.

One of the leading features of this invention resides in means for maintaining a head of fuel constantly at or above the fuel inlet, irrespective of the position or level of the vehicle or the vessel on which the engine is installed. In the embodiment of this part of the invention I provide a chambered shell, 22, shown as having a detachable threaded connection with the casing, 5, at the upper part thereof. The shell 22 provides a feed chamber, 23, above the suction chamber, 7, and fuel is supplied to this feed chamber from a tank or other available source of supply by means of a feed pipe, 24. The cap, 25, of the shell 22 is provided with an inlet boss, 27, the latter having a vertical passage forming a valve seat and one or more fuel ports, 28. Said cap 25 is also provided with an upstanding boss, to which is coupled the feed pipe, 24, and this boss has an air vent, 30, in communication with the chamber, 23, a vent pipe 31 extending a suitable distance above the carbureter to prevent the overflow and waste of the fuel.

Fitted slidably in the o ening forming the valve seat is a shut 0 fuel valve 29, which is in the form of a needle orspindle havin a tapering end, and this valve is attachet? in a suitable way to the float, 39", which is ,arranged in the feed chamber 23 so as to have a limited rising and falling movement therein in order to automatically control the valve for establishing and maintaining a fuel head at a constant level in a. member or part of the carbureter or vaporiaer.

From the bottom of the chamber 23 depends a fuel inlet tube, 32, which extends into and terminates at a suitable point in the hollow member, 13, of the mixture valve stem, said mixture valve being slidable on the tube 32 and the solid member 14 of the stem being slidable in the sleeve, whereby the mixture valve is limited by the stem 14 and the tube to slidable movement in the chamber '7. The hollow member of the mixture valve stem has ports, 33, of suitable size, located just above the baffle 15, and through these ports is adapted to flow the liquid fuel which is conducted from the chamber 23 by the tube 32 and thence through the hollow member of the valve stem to the spreader. By locating the spreader below the mixture valve and arranging the fuel supply devices for conducting the fuel through the mixture valve and to the spreader, I am able to dispense with outside tubing or separate channels and to admit the fuel to the carbureter on the same side of the'mixture valve as the air is admitted to said valve. This allows the fuel member 13, of the. mixture valve stem. Said stem, 36, is provided at its lower end with a nut'S'Z, and around the stem is loosely fitted a coiled spring; the latter finding resistance against the t-ilbf .32 and seated on the nut 37 to place the fuel valve under tension and normally seat it in the tube The lower end of the stem 36, terminates a slight distance shove the spreader or solid member of the mixture valve stem,

and when stern and the spreader are raised by lifting the mixtureyalve, the stem 36 and the fuel valve are also raised, thus opening the passage thrgughthe tube 32 and permitting the fuel m1 from the feed chamber 23, through the tube, 32, the hol low member 13 of the mixture valve stem, the ports, 33, anddifluse itself over the spreader.

,The float-controlled feedvalve 29 maintains at all times a constant supply of liquid fuel; and at a' predetermined level in the feed chamber, 23, the quantity of fuel being sufficient to establish a head pressure of the fuel immediately; at thefuel inlet valve 35,

so thaltl the fuel vvill at once flow intothe carbureter on opening said vvalve, The spring 21'is placed, under the required ten sion, either light or. strong, .by proper ad justment ofthe sleeve or nut, '17, to interpose more or less resistance to the lift of the mixture valve, and of the. fuel valve 35 which is controllable by said mixture valveQ With the engine in operation, a suction draft lifts the mixture valve 11 a distance proportioned to the resistance. of the spring, 21,- and the upward liftof said valve raises the fuel va-lve 35 a. corresponding distance,

so that the fuel is admitted below the mixture-valveand .in the path-of the air, to be picked up thereby and intermingled therewith for the production of the combustible mixture or vapor. As the suction draft ceases, th e'valves, 11, 35, are seated promptly loyithereaction of their respective springs.

The employment of means for varying the, tension of the spring on t'he mixture valve is an important feature of my invention, because itproVidesQm'eanS for regulating the liftof the mixture and the fuel valves, to regulate the q uantity of fuel in proportion to the volume ofaireach time the valves are opened, and therebysecure portant features of my inventionis the proder gravity to the carbureter, irrespective,-

the production of a omnhustihle mixture of E a'stnndard grade or quality. With a light spring tension on the mixture valve. the'suo from the engine creates a partial n in the chamber and the pressure "t air on the mud vside of llie'valve opens for to a Wide open position, thus all a certain volume of air. On the upward movement of-tlie mixture valve, the fuel valve 2%?) is unseated and moved for a. distance s1. tantially equal to thatot' the mixture valve, and thus a certain quantity of fuel is admitted to the chamber 8 pro-.

onately to the air. By increasing the on of the spring 21 on the mixture the lift thereof due to the suction lift of the fuel valve is decreased so as to admit a propm'iionately less quantity of fuel to the chamher S, but. the supply of air is not decreased notwithstanding the .decrease in the travel of the valve 11, because the air rushes into and through the chamhers, 8, 7, at increased velocity. It is to he understood, therefore, that the adjustment of the spring tension on the mixture valve, 11, has the effect of regulating the admission of the fuel to the carhureter,'although the mixture valve spring, 21, does not act on the fuel valve, 35, and the letter is seatedby the action ot' an independent spring. In my vaporizer, the valves, 11, 3'5,=" open upwardly and close downwardly, and'the. springs are shown as being arranged below the valves. This operation of the valves is advantageous, because in the event of. breakage of the springs the valves will stilloperateand the carhureter will be suitahleyfor service. The weight or gravity ofthe. mix--.

. ture valve and its warts will cause-tlievalve 1 r to be seated when the suction draft ceases,

.105 While the grnvitv of the fuel valve and the pressure of the fuel head thereon insure'the seating of said valve, thus overcomingthe possibility 'of flooding the vaporizer. v

The spreader 15 is movable'vvith the' mix- .ture valve when it is lifted by the'suction draft and the fuel is diffused overthe sur-- face thereof, such upward travel of the spreader interposing the some more directly; in the path of air as itenters the carbureter and placing the fuel directlyin the path of the air to be picked up and mingled there- As hereinbeforc described,' one of therini vision of means for maintaining a head of fuel at a constant level athacehttothefuel valve and insuring the feed of the fuel unof cha'nges of the position'of the/supply tank 12 5 and the engine one vehicle ora manne-engine, or of the gradually changing level and pressure of the fuel in the tank when usedon stationary engines or in connection with engines of vehicles and marine vessels.

This end is secured in my structure by the provision of the feed chamber 23 and a means between the chamber and the source of supply by which-the fuel is maintained at a constant level in, the feed chamber so as to establish therein the requisite fuel head which has direct communication with the fuel inlet when the valve 35 is unseated by the action of a suction operated element, usually the mixture valve, 11. ,It will be seen that the fuel is free to feed itself by gravity to the vaporizer when the fuel valve is unseated, and when suflicient fuel escapes from the feed chamber to change the fuel level therein, the float 39, drops so as to partiall Withdrawthe valve-29 and allow the fuel to be replenished in the chamber 23 by the feed pipe 24, after which the rise of the float closes the valve 29 and cuts 05 the further ingress of fuel to the chamber 23 on the establishment of the normal fuel supply to the-required level. These operations are wholly automatic, and the parts work in a positive manner so as to' be efiicient and'reliable in service. V

The particular means adopted by me for the maintenance of fuel at a constant level and under the desired head in a feed cham? ber adjacent to a fuel inlet valve, may be modified by askilled mechanic, and I do not, therefore, desire to strictly confine myself to the. specific embodiment of the invention herein shown and described.

Havin thus fully described my invention what I c aim as new and desire to secure by said carbureting and feed chambers, where- Letters Patent is':- a

1. A vaporizer-or carbureter of the class described comprising a carbureting chamj her, a feed chamber positioned above the carbureting'chamber, a fuel valve intermediate by liquid fuel may be supplied to theformer from the latter, means for conveying. liquid I -'fuel to the feed chamber, a floatzcontnolled valve operating within the feed chamber and adapted to shut off the flow of liquid into said chamber without disturbing the communication between the carbureting and .feed chambers. whereby a predetermined head .of liquid fuel is maintained at alltimes in proximity. to the valve intermediate 'the carbureting and feed chambers, .and a opening said valve between the carbureting 'suction operated element, for automatically and'feed chambers the liquid connection from thefeedchamberto the carbureting chamber operating to dischargeifuel below tube aifordin a direct connection between the feed cham r and the carbureting chamher, 21 suppl pipe connected to said feed chamber, a oat and a valve in said feed chamber for maintaining therein a fuel head at a constant level above the vertical tube, a suction operated element, and a separate fuel valve opened splely by said element for controlling the gravity inflow of fuel through said vertical tube, said vertical tube operating to discharge the liquid fuel below the suction operated element.

3. A vaporizer or carbureter havi a carbureting chamber, a feed chamber positioned chambers,"said fuel valvebeing' 0 ned by Y the mixtureyalve, and a spreader low;themixture valve, the fuel inlet to the carbureting chamber being at a point directly below the mixture valve and over the spreader,

4. A vaporizer or carbureterhav'in a fuel valve, a. mixture valve disconnecte from said fuel valve and .cooperatin therewith for operating. said fuel-valve, sai valves be-: ing seated, independently of each other, a resistance opposing-the openiug'movement of the inixture valve, means for'adjusting the resistance to impart variable "travel to the mixture valve and the fuel valve, means for conducting fuel through, and dischar ing-it below, the mixture valve, and a sprea er pofsitioned below said mixture valve.

5. A vaporizer or carbureter having :1

thereby, said valves being seated independently of -each"other, means for placing ten sionon the mixture valve, means for conducting fuel" below the mixturevalve, and a 1 spreader movable with the mixture valve, said spreader being independent of the fuel valve.

6. A vaporizer or carbureter having a" mixture valve, av spreader movable withthe 1 mixture valve, a fuel valve se arate from the mixture valve andthe sprea er and seated independently of said mixture valve, a tension device opposing the opening move ment of the mixture valve, means for vary! 'ing the resistance of the tension device, and means for conducting. fuel below the.-1nix ture valve.-

.7. A vaporizeror carbureter-having'a car-' bureting'chamber, a feed chamber above 1 'said carbureting chamber, a mixture valve mixture valve, .a fuel valve controllabl means for regulating by hand the quantity of fuel adapted to pass from the feed chamber to the carbureting chamber at each opening movement of the automatic fuel valve.

18. A vapo'rizer having a carbureting chamber, a suction-operated element therein, a spring, means for regulating the tension of the spring on said element, a feed chamber, means in said feed chamber for maintaining therein a fuel head at a pre determined level above the carbureting chamber, a vertical tube affording a direct connection between the feed chamber and the carburetin conduct fuel be 0w the suction-operated. element, and an automatic fuel valve operating in said vertical tube.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as of my invention, I hereunto sign my name in e the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWIN F. ABERNETHY.

Witnesses:

H. I. BEMHQRD, JAS. H. Gnn'nn.

chamber and adapted to 

